13 Petals

“Everyone is obligated to say: The world was created for me” (Sanhedrin 37a). “We have the importance of an entire universe.” (Rashi) This does not refer to an illusory selfish feeling of arrogantly thinking to be better than others. Every human is a one-time phenomenon. When a person is born, it’s like the creation of Adam; Read More

by Xus Casal NOTE: This is a transcription (and translation) of a teaching given in Spanish some time ago. It was intended for Bnei Noah and gentiles who are interested in learning and observing Torah, but are far from being in the same level of Orthodox Jews. Like Rabbi Hillel would say, the most Read More

Drash’em on the Road: Emunah series is a collection of “on-the-road” videos dealing with topics that have to do with the concept of Emunah, or authentic faith. You can also click here for more general topics on this “Drash’em on the Road” video series. Emunah episode 1 – From Be’ersheva to Charan Emunah episode 2 Read More

Drash’em on the road (video series) “Drash’em on the Road” is a collection of thoughts, ideas, musings and ponderings that some of the “13 petals” staff memebers had while driving, as they spend so much time on the road due to their lifestyles. Some of the videos were taken many years ago and shared privately Read More

1st thought: To believe in God because It makes you feel better. Atheists commonly say that believers believe in God because it makes us feel better. And in part that’s truth. It’s scientifically proven than prayer, meditation and faith in the Transcendence makes people feel better. However, If I’m going to believe in God, It Read More

introduction: The story we are going to tackle today is about that time when Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus met a disciple of Yeshua of Nazareth. The baraitha (i.e., a story that was known orally but wasn’t written down until much later) depicts a friendly conversation between the two, but ends up with Eliezer being denounced Read More

What is Rosh haShana? Our sages gave this name to the 1st day of the 7th Biblical month, which is called Tishrei in Jewish calendar (Tishrei תשרי derives from the Akkadian language and means “the beginning”, directly related to the Hebrew ‘Reshit’ ראשית). In Scripture it is called Yom Teruah יום תרועה (the day Read More

“When you enter the Land that God is giving you…you shall take from the first of all the fruit of the ground” (Dt 26:1-2). From these words we learn that everything that is for God’s sake should be of the best and most beautiful (cf. Rambam), as the Torah says: “Kol Khelev leHaShem” – Read More

“If you come across a bird’s nest in the way… Do not take the mother bird together with the children” (Deut 22:6) A RATIONAL APPROACH Like most commands in the Bible, God doesn’t tell us his reasons for this command. It is up to us to obey first and then understand, as stated Read More

“Is perhaps the tree of the field a man, to go into the siege before you?” (Dt 20:19). “Ki haAdam Etz haShade labo miPaneikha beMatzor” Rashi says this is a question; he interprets the word “Ki” as meaning: ‘perhaps’. However, this Hebrew particle indicates casual relations of all kinds. It can also be translated Read More